Keeping a Leather Harness Clean

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It should have interchangeable O-rings, since sometimes I like to fuck with large cocks

I don’t really care what material it’s made from, if it’s leather or vinyl or vegan leather or nylon

I don’t care if it’s locking buckles or D-rings

Really, it needs to be comfortable, relatively bare-bones, and able to get me off.

For some reason, I’m still in search of The Perfect Harness. I seem to have this idea that I just need one, really, and I’ll be able to use any dick I want, and fuck however I want. I’m not sure why I think I can get One Single Harness to do everything I want in a harness … it seems possible, when I lay out my requirements, but I have yet to actually find The Perfect Harness.

I really loved the one I’ve been using for the last year or so, which is a signature harness from Spartacus leathers . Unfortunately, especially with the last seven months and my very active sex life with Kristen, that harness has really seen better days.

[Warning: if you’re not the one usually wearing the harness, and prefer to keep the harness-perfection a mystery, I might ruin it for you with the rest of this post.]

The problem is, the leather has gotten very soiled. And I admit, I’ve been caring for the harness much like I usually cared for my nylon harnesses: washing with warm water and a little soap after using, unhooking the O-rings and using a nail brush to gently clean the leather and snaphooks, and hang it to dry. Here’s where the leather enthusiasts are probably laughing at me: yes, I know there is such a thing as leather soap, and in retrospect I probably should’ve been taking very different care of the leather.

So now I’m asking: how do you keep leather clean? Especially when it is, ahem, very close to very wet bits for very many hours in a week, how do I deep-clean it, get all the come out of it, make sure it doesn’t get that nasty musty wet smell so deep that it won’t come out?

Also, is there any way to salvage leather that is now a bit … dirty? Is there a way to deep-clean it?

Published by Sinclair Sexsmith

Sinclair Sexsmith is a genderqueer kinky butch writer who teaches and performs, specializing in sexualities, genders, and relationships. They've written at sugarbutch.net since 2006, recognized numerous places as one of the Top Sex Blogs. Sinclair's gender theory and queer erotica is widely published in anthologies like Take Me There: Trans and Genderqueer Erotica, and online at Feministing, Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more; they are the editor of Best Lesbian Erotica 2012 and Say Please: Lesbian BDSM Erotica, both published by Cleis Press. Sweet & Rough: Sixteen Stories of Queer Smut, Sinclair's first book of short erotic stories, was published in 2014. They use the pronouns they, them, theirs, themself, and live in Oakland, CA with their boy.

19 thoughts on “Keeping a Leather Harness Clean”

Missysays:

Try some white Fiebing's Saddle Soap and a damp cloth (or a round brush) to clean it. You should be able to find it at cobblers, leather clothing/supply stores, and even hardware stores in NY.

As for find The Perfect Harness, why not just have it made? There are lots of amazing women who work leather and make custom clothing. It wouldn't be much more expensive than a harness off the rack, and you could keep getting it adjusted until it was perfect…

Kissiahsays:

To properly clean, not sanitize, leather you need to have it prepared to be cleaned first. Barring this, wash it very well with a mild soap. I like regular ivory bar soap or saddle soap with a brush designed to be used with saddle soap, but don't get it too sudsy when using saddle soap, rinse well and let it fully dry. If you use ivory soap you can suds it up all you want. Then put mink oil on it daily, rub it in well just like lotion and let it dry in between coats. Do this for at least a week every day. Use another harness in the meantime. Mink oil will soak into the leather without changing the color if it's dyed well and will basically make it waterproof. The linings can be suede feeling if both sides aren't finished and mink oil doesn't work on that and it will change the feel of the unfinished leather so I'd avoid doing the lining with it.

After it's prepared, just wash it with warm, mild soapy water and hang to dry after each use. Maybe once a year or two, put the harness up and mink oil it for a week again if you notice it's looking a bit dry or it's getting absorbent. This also helps bodily fluids and most lubes not stick to the leather as well, making cleaning that much easier.

Raidsays:

I can’t help with the leather cleaning, but have you considered having a custom harness made at a leather shop? Some friends of mine did, and they swear it’s the only way to go. I’m sure you could give them a list of your demands, and after a fitting or two, you could leave with your dream harness!

hey Sinclair I was thinking that natural coconut oil would recondition the leather you can get coconut oil at any walmart in the vitimin section it is good for many things . Since it is natural and an oil it would help with the scent it has after cleaning it. My guess as to a cleaner for leather would be to try to find a eco friendly leather soap I am sure there are some out there…thanks for writing me back.

i'm afraid i'm not much help on renewing leather (in fact, i need to read these comments too). as for the perfect harness, i'd like to mention "inhertube" harnesses. we got one recently, which i've been meaning to review. short version: it's great! it has no o-rings, so no interchangeable ones, but it's made of stretchy rubber, which gives it some play (can't really say how much, as our selection is limited in that department, but it seems like a good possibility).

Laurasays:

Saddle soap on a damp cloth, followed by oil. That's what we do for my love's Jaguar harness, and it works like a charm. However, we've found it hard to clean around the silver or metal snaps, and they seem to be rusting a bit from wetness…

you've asked the questions that have been on my mind recently … our leather harness is showing some, uh, evidence of its rigorous lifestyle. like you, i'm cautious about what sorts of cleaners or oils i want rubbing vigorously against my naughty bits, too. we've been using mild soap & water, and letting it dry thoroughly. i'll keep checking here for the growing list of recommendations, and will also do some research.

JMcsays:

After use we throw ours in the tub to wash during the next shower. Body soap and a soft nail brush around the metal parts and small in-between spaces works great. Then hang to dry. Once a year, condition with leather conditioner, but only when we know it won't be in use for a couple of days so it has time to absorb well. After 8 years of use and care, its still like new.

I too am having trouble keeping the metal parts my Jaguar harness rust free, especially those connecting the leg straps on the inside of the harness closest to my parts. I use a mild soap and occasionally oil the leather, which works great for keeping the leather nice. Really the rust is my big problem, I use a dry cloth to get most of the water off after cleaning, but that does not seem to be doing the trick, any thoughts?

Laurensays:

leather wipes. they're meant for the leather seats in cars, jackets, etc-but they do a FANTASTIC job on harnesses, they're disposable, not messy like oils and they aren't incriminating sitting in your cleaning supplies cupboard.

robinsays:

as a cleaning lady i think that you might try a ultraviolet light to see if there is disinfecting that needs to occur after you think you have it clean. use it in a dark room and see if anything ‘glows’, if so, keep cleaning. i would suggest steam. i would use a mild castille soap like dr bronners and get the tea tree version. tea tree is antibacterial naturally. wash with the soap, then steam it, dry it, check it with the uv. coat the metal with fingernail polish as another suggested. when all else fails, contact the manufacturer and ask them how it is supposed to be done.

ssays:

Weaver wipes are a great leather wipe and will help clean your leather strap-on harnesses.

As far as sanitizing leather, the UV idea is VERY intriguing. That had never occurred to me before! Other than that potential prospect, there is no way to sanitize leather 100% without compromising the harness.